Sunday, August 12, 2012

We've officially entered Off-Season Blogging Mode here at the MZone. Oh, we'll still be putting stuff up, just probably not every day (unless of course if Ohio implodes again like they did last off-season). So check below this post for new nuggets of MZone goodness.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter @MZoneBlog as we'll still be tweeting away during the off-season. Plus, we'll let you know when we have new stuff up here.

I couldn't care less about his coaching ability or legacy. It's about... the pain he must have felt in his final days, knowing what he turned his back on, and knowingly dying with that knowledge. What kind of pain is that? What can be helped now?

As for JoePa, I'm not sure what to think. McQuery's evolving testimony makes me wonder what he told the old man. I need to wait for the trial to come to conclusion before I am sure. I will say it sure doesn't look good. I think his arrogance cost him his job, his statement on stepping down was an attempt at damage control, but the wording just reinforced the idea that he lived by his own set of rules.

The one story about JoePa I love is when the University representatives came to his house in 2005 to fire him and they got tossed out on his lawn. That's just too damn funny and shows the fricking power he had. Alas, it was that very power that finally consumed and destroyed his legacy.

Yost goes on hiatus we got a child porn case threatening to bring the school down. Forget about JoePa we've got our own pervert at UM to coverup. Talk about imploding, let's get this Jenson guy out of town as fast as we can or will be sunk like PENN STATE.Don't want this child abuse making national headlines or it will smoke recruiting and destroy our image. http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/university-of-michigan-officials-didnt-report-child-porn-to-police-for-six-months/

I read through the story, and many of the reader comments, some of which were crazyass. There is no comparison here with what happened at PSU. SO different facts, you can stay awake all night differentiating the two. Please.

Thanks Ramona, that helps maybe your right, over reacting to this "crazyass" stuff, it's just depressing. Maybe also the past week is finally taking it's toll, the growing realization of what Meyer has pulled off at that school down south in the few short weeks he's been there, unprecedented.

I read it as well and mostly agree with Ramona. While there are some similarities, the athletic department isn't involved so it will never get the kind of pub it would if athletics are involved.

I'm wondering if they found something else, because without the pictures or logs of the pictures, I wonder how they got enough evidence for a warrant.

I love this part. He (University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald) said he didn't have specifics on why hospital security officials finally came forward six months later and reported the incident to police, but believes they were revisiting the case.

Case was reported in May. Six Months later was Novemeber. Was there some story in the news that might have given someone the thought that passing the info on might be a good idea? I wonder what that story could have been.

As for Urban Meyer, two things.

One, we were helped in recruiting by PSU imploding. You still get Kalis. I think that is a case of OSU fans burning bridges. I don't know if he would have flipped if we didn't have folks wishing ill on him online and on the radio. I wish the young man well, except when he plays us. Yes Urban got some great players, but a lot of that was PSU and some of it is just the cache of the name.

Which leads me to thought two. He needs to prove it on the field. A lot of folks say next year is a freebie since we can't play for a bowl or a B1G championship. There will be some slack for him since it is a transition year, but we have a lot of kids coming back it seems and I think fewer than 9 wins would be troubling. Urban also needs to recruit well next year and he set a pretty high bar after this year.

We have the shiny new toy. You guys had that to some extent last year, especially with Mattison. And you won games last year and locked up a lot of your class early. Let's see where we are at this time next year and probably even more importantly in two years when either the shine may have worn off or Urban's sytem is starting to run smoothly.

What I meant to say about Kalis was, I don't know that he would have flipped back from Michigan to OSU if OSU fans had been civil when he flipped over to you guys.

Rereading my post, it didn't look clear.

I can't blame the kid one bit for changing when he did since he had no idea how bad we might get hit, where we were going with coaching, etc. And once Urban was in place, I wouldn't have a problem with him switching back. However, if I was him and had taken the crap he got, I wouldn't switch back even if they managed to create some kind of OSU super coach cobbled together from the DNA of Woody, Bo, Bear Bryant, Pop Warner, Amos Stagg and the ever elusive Sun Tzu. Sorry, watched too much G.I. Joe as a kid.

You know in the several years I've been on here I've never not liked someone. All the Ohio posters were civil or obnoxiously funny. Thread, you're just a douche. And I don't care if this gets deleted. You bring nothing of any significance to the conversation. Clearly shows your fanbase's maturity. You're giving Dennis a bad name.

Bigasshammm-Regarding jopa, I felt bad for him and yet your right, how do you turn your back, how do you not remember and worry about not protecting others.Regarding the next few years it will be a daunting for sure but I'll stick with Dennis' "wait and see."

Ohio State University trustees have approved the creation of a new office responsible for monitoring compliance with rules and regulations in the wake of its football program's NCAA infractions scandal. In other words, they created an office that will watch the original office that monitors compliance. Knowing Ohio State as well as I do, they need to create an office to watch the office that watches the office that monitors compliance.

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said he had heard about the Ohio State schedule referencing Michigan as "that team up north"."Frankly, I don't care a whole lot to how they refer to us," Brandon said with a smirk Thursday after a news conference to announce the NHL's Winter Classic coming to Michigan Stadium in 2013. "I think it's really unfortunate the slam that they're taking at Michigan State, because Michigan State really is the team that's the furthest north. I don't know how to read all that. I don't know if they thought that through completely."...

I like to think of it as a job creation program. If you take it to its logical conclusion we could have zero unemployement. Heck maybe we could even hire some Michigan folks. ;)

Personal request. I will be in Ann Arbor on St. Patrick's Day weekend. Looking for a good place to eat, with perhaps some local flavor, that would accomodate 20 or so people 8 or so that would be 7-10 year old boys. We'll probably have dinner together as a team. The Pizza place you guys recommended last year was good (because of scheduling it wasn't a team meal) and might work, but we are trying to culture them up a bit. We hit Tony Packo's in Toledo yesterday, for example.

OK. For Dennis.. 2 places come to mind. Both off campus and both can accommodate large groups and kids. Both on Washtenaw off the 23 exit. First, Paesano's, directly off the exit at Arborland. Italian, a little pricey,nice ambience and very popular for gatherings. Not certain they have a kids' menu but it would definitely fulfull the culture requirement.A little less cultured, a little more casual but more relaxing atmosphere... same side of Washtenaw, cross 23 but further east, my personal fave: Smokehouse Blues. Outstanding BBQ and I, the avoider of all pork products, LOVE their pulled pork sandwich. Or try the chicken. Fried okra is my favorite appetizer. Everything is good! There will be an assortment of house BBQ sauce at the table - Hot, Sweet and Mild. Try mixing the Hot and the Sweet. Oh, and kids' menu with all the usual offerings. You will not be disappointed!

I had to listen to the game as I was finishing up my parent's house to put it on the market. I thought I might have to write we intentionally lost just to spite you and keep you from get a share of the championship.

However, I likely would have written an apology because I think it is stupid to say you'd rather give up part of a championship (or a BCS berth) so a rival doesn't get a part either. See Mark Dantonio, MSU.

We won't be up until next weekend, St. Patrick's Day. Sergei competes on 3/18 at the Cliff Keen Arena. We'll probably go with Smokehouse Blues. I thought about Blimpy Burger but the size of our group and the rules for ordering would probably be more chaos than I want to deal with.

Update: Well, there is a small problem. I had just been thinking it's been a while since we enjoyed that Memphis style BBQ, and I wanted to post a link for you... but the link went to a different name, the "Brahma Steakhouse." Hmm, that couldn't be right. I found reviews, etc (good reviews) but no Smokehouse Blues....damn...SO... apparently it is going through another incarnation and reopening as a steakhouse. They are completely redoing the interior, which is unfortunate as it was such a cozy setup.. tables, fireplace on one side, booths and a long table or two by the front window. And it had such great character, non chain... anyway. I agree that Blimpy's while being a fun campus institution, is not as good for a large party. On the plus side, the new steakhouse also is not a chain and is family friendly... I might take a drive by there later today. But I sure will miss the Memphis style BBQ.

It's been so many years since I've visited the Cottage Inn dine in location on campus.. back in the day they were great. Never been to Zingerman's.

Still mourning the loss of Smokehouse Blues. For many years it was Herc's Beef and Spirits...an amazing destination right there on good old Washtenaw Ave.... after Herc's closed, Smokehouse Blues opened with their unique menu but kept the same decor for the most part. It was related to the ambience at Herc's, where you felt like you were exploring an out of town area while patronizing a local business. Unfortunately, Washtenaw appears to be rough on stand alone eateries as they appear and disappear all the time. I was going to suggest your group visit Tios on Washtenaw closer to Ypsi but alas... that seems to be closed also. I'm not being very helpful.

Same folks that have the Deli, but this looks to be a bigger <a href="http://www.zingermansroadhouse.com/> site </a>. Looking at Google Maps it is roughly where Stadium Blvd turns into Maple there is a Staples and a Kroger near by.

Assuming we don't have practice on Saturday Sergei and I will come up in the late morning, hit Blimpy Burger for an early lunch then the Archaeology and/or hands on museum. We probably will try to do dinner early, around 5, so we can see UM host UIC in men's gymnastics at 7 pm.

We'd do the Henry Ford, but I see they are going to have a Titanic exhibit starting at the end of March so we might come back up at some point for that. Sergei has been on a Titanic kick lately.

Dennis... Zingerman's Roadhouse is on the west side of town and is not close to downtown at all. It is also pricy so may not work for a large group. I would recommend the Arena which is at Washington and Fourth. If you go there tell Gordon that the waterboy sent you.

Thanks for the suggestion. If it was just the boy and me, I might do it. Not sure how well they would do with a party of 20 that would be at least half kids age 6-10 right in the middle of March Madness.

I did find a handy site with maps of parking garages and such. After years living around, attending or working around OSU and Georgetown, parking around campuses is always something for which I prefer to be prepared.

Good luck this evening. While part of me would enjoy the schadenfreude of you guys losing to Ohio, I'm in that camp that prefers to see the conference do well in post season play and particularly doesn't want to see B1G teams lose in upsets in the first round.

I do think if Cooper can do to Burke what Craft did and if Michigan is cold from three point land you guys might be in trouble.

I'm sure Yost is enjoying his off season vacation, but I thought he might post something on here about it. Though maybe best not to tempt fate, though I relly don't think I would see Hoke do something like this.

There is comedy gold out there to be found, though. Taiwanese animation, loads of gifs, etc. My favorite, perhaps, is Arkansas offered Miss Dorrell a first class ticket out of Arkansas for the destination of her choice. She declined because she prefers to ride coach.

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